Asgard Adventures: Hidden Faces
by kel25
Summary: I was a fan of Norse mythology before reading the comics or watching the movie. This is my attempt to combine the original mythology and adventures with the Marvel characters we all love, along with a few from the mythology. This is set before the movie 'Thor' takes place. Spellings of characters/objects based off "Myths of the Norsemen" by Guerber and "Children of Odin" by Colum.
1. Chapter 1

Dawn arrived in Asgard. The glass and gold of the buildings shone in the early morning light. Asgardians all over the city were rising and getting about their day. From the markets to the shops to the people who worked in the palace, all were focused on their tasks for the day. Though, none of them was aware of the young man high above their heads from a tower at the palace.

Loki watched the people far below, his cold green eyes seeing everything but not watching anyone in particular. The wind ruffled his raven-black hair as he shut his eyes, deeply breathing in the cool morning air. Small muscles relaxed, though one in his left shoulder stubbornly refused to obey. He furrowed his brow and his mouth turned down. The beating that Thor called "practice" yesterday was apparently still affecting him.

Loki opened his eyes in irritation. The memory of Miölnir swinging down towards his head just annoyed him more. He had managed to transport himself away, but the hammer caught his shoulder before he could fully disappear. Thor and his cronies' laughter rang in his ears, before Thor stopped when he realized that Loki was in fact injured. It had taken several healers and too many hours to get Loki's shoulder back to normal. Thor had tried to apologize, but Loki refused to even speak to his brother. Just like every time Thor did something stupid.

Loki tried to massage the offensive muscle, but it complained more than tried to relax. Damn. There went his morning.

He always got up early to come up here. It was the one place where no one would bother him. He could be alone with his thoughts as they whirled around in his head. Loki leaned against the arch, shutting his eyes again. He knew what people said behind his back. He always knew. Some said that he was mad, from an incident that happened a few years prior. Others called him cursed. They would try to hide the sign to ward off evil when he would stride by. They thought he wouldn't see. But he always saw.

Shadow Walker, Night Dancer, Silver Tongue, Prince of Lies. Loki knew all of the names. He could hear everything. He always pretended that he didn't care. But, deep down, each name, each dark look, each whisper pained him. He tried, oh how he tried, to have people look at him in the light. But, they would rather see Thor the golden child than the one in the shadows.

Thoughts and plans continued to whirl through his head as he slowly opened his eyes. Up here, he was safe. Safe from the people far below him and Thor's dangerous ideas.

The 'cawing' of ravens caught Loki's attention. Hugin and Munin noisily flapped as they headed from the Bifrost and to the throne room. This signaled that the rest of the family would be stirring. Which meant it was time for Loki to begin his duties of being second in line for the throne. Second in line, what a joke. He was far cleverer than Thor. But just because he was older than Loki made him the heir. When they were younger, their father told them that they both born to be kings. But no matter how much Loki tried to prove that he was just as able to rule as Thor, Odin seemed to have forgotten the words he had spoken to his sons.

Loki gracefully headed downstairs, following a complex labyrinth of secret tunnels and paths that only he knew about. He pulled on one last lever, causing the bookshelf on the other side to swing out and into his bedroom.

The room was mostly dark, though there were signs that the servants had been there. A fire had been lit, and his daywear had been laid out. He had been wearing a simple tunic to go exploring in. But it was time to look the part of prince. The green matched his eyes, with hints of gold accenting the ensemble. Loki carefully placed his hidden daggers before heading into his library.

There, he slid open another panel, this one leading to Thor's living area. Loki smiled to himself as he slipped into the room unseen. It still surprised Thor that his brother just seemed to magically appear every morning, despite that he had been doing it for years. Let him continue to think that.

Thor's chambers were extravagant and brightly lit. He had more rooms than Loki, though he seemed to not use them all. Thor's servants warily watched Loki as he lounged on one of the couches. He fixed a stare on them until they fled the area, leaving him alone. That he preferred. Especially since he could hear Thor's bellowing approaching from down the hall.

"How dare you not repair my cape! I want it repaired now!"

Loki could hear the servants madly scramble to right the wrong as Thor stormed into the room where Loki was waiting. The thunderous look on Thor's face quickly left when he spied Loki. He paused, as he did every morning, his eyes widened, as they always did, and Loki spoke Thor's daily greeting in his head, like he always did.

"Brother! Where did you come from? It is like magic!" Thor exclaimed. Loki suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

"Just like everyday," Loki muttered. Thor wasn't listening, since he was making last adjustments to the temporary cape in a nearby mirror. A corner of Loki's mouth turned upwards, carefully waving a hand in Thor's direction. He was so distracted that he didn't realize that his cape was now the same shade of green as Loki's. Loki held back laughter as Thor continued to not realize the change in color as he started to head out the door. Loki swiftly got to his feet and fell in alongside his brother. They strode in silence, with Loki growing more and more gleeful by the fact that his idiot brother still had no clue. The usual morning court was going to be much more enjoyable now!

His enjoyment was short lived when Thor's cronies were found waiting for them in the antechamber leading to the throne room. They didn't normally come to morning court, so their purpose today mystified him.

Thor loudly exclaimed as he greeted his friends. Volstagg greeted Thor back the loudest cheer, his large girth a big as his laughter. The tall Fandral stumbled as Thor slapped him on the back. He quickly patted himself to make sure everything was in place. Fandral had quite a following of giggling girls that adored him and the ground he walked on. Little did he know that most of the women simply laughed at him behind his back. Hogan watched the entire room with his normal frown. Nothing ever made him smile.

The only one who wasn't loudly greeting Thor back was Lady Sif. Her slender frame was wrapped in warrior garb, her ink-black hair was tied back. Loki bristled as her dark eyes immediately fell on Thor's cape, before narrowing at Loki. He lifted his chin and drew to his full height. It was an attempt to look as imposing and princely as possible. Sif drew her mouth into a firm line, their unspoken feud still raging.

Loki and Sif never got along. He knew that she thought that he was trying to keep Thor away from her. Which was mostly true. Thor needed to focus on not destroying Asgard, not getting romantically involved. Loki didn't like her because he felt that she was up to some grand scheme, which would end up with him out of the picture. She didn't like him, because she knew that he knew. That, and he was trying to keep her away from the very oblivious Thor.

"The Allfather will see you now," a guard announced. Thor swept past the guard, while Loki managed to wriggle his way around the others so he could take his place of importance at Thor's right hand. He shot a smirk at Sif when he beat her to the spot, and he was rewarded by a withering glare. Ehehehe. Score one for Loki!

The band reached the throne, where Odin was listening to the raven's report. Loki's heart lightened as his mother, Frigga, climbed down the steps and smiled at her boys. Like every morning, she approached Thor first.

"Good morning, Thor," she embraced him.

"A pleasant morning to you as well, Mother," Thor boomed. She patted one of his oversized arms, before approaching Loki. He respectfully bowed his head to her. She replied, like every morning, by taking his face in her hands and looking deep into his eyes.

Loki never understood this little ritual, but it was comforting to him. No matter how bad a day he was having, no matter how much Thor hurt him- accidently or no-, and no matter how much he put up with the band; he knew that his Mother would always be there to support him. The little ritual cemented their bond each morning, even though he never understood why she always looked into his eyes.

After a while, she smiled and embraced him as well. "Good morning, Loki."

"Good morning, Mother," Loki replied softly. She pulled away, a smile still on her face. She went around, greeting the rest of the band while Thor impatiently waited for Odin to speak.

The ravens finally moved to their posts on either side of the throne, and Thor wriggled like an overexcited puppy. Loki sighed unhappily. It had been weeks since Thor had a mission. He was growing weary of waiting for something to happen so he could smash it. As they waited these past weeks, Loki's head seemed to see all of the smashing.

Odin rose from his seat, and the band fell silent.

"Thor," Odin spoke. "You are to take your warriors to the mountains. There have been giant sightings." Loki felt the group stiffen with worry while a gasp caught in his throat.

Giant were rarely caught in Asgard, and usually meant trouble. Most of the giant races were primarily stupid and usually wandered into Asgard on accident. However, the Frost Giants made everyone nervous. They were far more intelligent and held grudges. They had been after the casket forever, always trying to find a way in. Was Odin seriously sending them to go remove Frost Giants? The thought made Loki uneasy.

"Frost Giants?" Thor perked up, clearly not sharing the same fear as his brother. Idiot. "I shall hunt them down and slay them with my mighty hammer Miolnir!" Odin frowned at Thor.

"No," he replied. "They are not Frost Giants." Loki and the others visibly relaxed, glad that this mission wasn't going to be so dangerous. Thor, however, looked disappointed. He turned to look at Loki, who shrugged in half-sympathy.

"What are they doing here?" Thor demanded.

"They are Mountain Giants," Odin explained. "They must have wandered in on accident. I need you to find them, and make sure they return to their own realm."

OK, Loki thought to himself. This made a whole lot more sense. If it had been Frost Giants, neither one of them would have been sent. Well, Thor at least wouldn't have been sent. Being heir had its, perks. Odin wouldn't put Thor in danger on purpose. Loki on the other hand had been on plenty of dangerous missions. One came to mind, and he quickly shoved that to the deepest, darkest corner of his mind. He didn't want that nightmare to come back and haunt him, not here.

Sometimes Loki wondered if Odin was trying to get rid of him on purpose. Though, the thought of going on a trip into the wild with this lot didn't seem appealing to him. He was going to be spending the entire trip saving their sorry hides too many times from Thor's blundering.

Thor being on the brink of a meltdown brought Loki out of his thoughts. Chasing off Mountain Giants weren't Thor's idea of having fun. Loki breathed out noisily through his nose, not looking forward to having to calm Thor down. This was usually where Loki got hurt. He had turned to Thor, when he noticed that Sif had gotten to Thor first. Loki growled under his breath, his frown deepening when Sif gave him a sly smile. Whatever she was up to, it wasn't good for Loki.

"Thor," Sif purred. "Why is your cape green?" Loki felt all the blood drain out of his face as Thor first looked confused, then noticed his cape. Thor's face grew thunderous as his fist bunched up a wad of material. Sif's eyes danced as she stared right at Loki. Thor followed her gaze before whirling around to face his brother.

Loki took an involuntary step back, years of experience keeping the innocent look on his face. He narrowed his eyes slightly at Sif, who looked positively delighted at the prospect of Loki getting a pounding. This was going to take all of his charm, wit, and Thor's naivety to get out of this unscathed.

"What did you do?" Thor bellowed at him.

"I didn't do anything," Loki replied firmly. Thor bared his teeth, raising a fist as a threat.

"Change it back!" Thor roared, taking a step towards him. Loki folded his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow as his heart raced.

"Thor," Odin growled in warning. Thor turned to glare at their Father, as Frigga shook her head slightly at Loki. Giving a sigh of defeat, Loki waved his hand slightly and the green gave way to red. Thor realized that his cape had turned back, and he glared at his brother for good measure. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. Loki curled his lip at Sif. Something had to be done about Sif and that awful smirk on her face. Loki smiled to himself as several ideas floated across his mind, each one more frightening as the next. How was she going to handle snakes in her bedroll?

"When do we depart?" Thor growled, still ruffled over the cape.

"This afternoon," Odin replied. "Loki, you will not be going with them." Loki perked up a little at that news. He didn't have to put up with them on a boring trip? This was great! He kept his face neutral as internally, he was cheering quite loudly.

"Why?" Thor demanded.

"There is another task I need him to complete before he rejoins you," Odin explained calmly. Loki stopped cheering internally. Damn. He thought he was going to get out of this. Thor clearly didn't look happy about the news, but he remained silent.

"Thor, you are dismissed. Loki, remain," Odin ordered. The band bowed before heading out the door, discussing the mission amongst themselves. Thor gave Loki one last look before following his friends. Loki slowly took the center position as he looked up at his parents. Very rarely did he get them both to himself where he wasn't in trouble. And getting his own mission that wouldn't be risking his life. It was rather nice. Odin approached him so they were eye-level and smiled, also a rarity.

"My son," he said slowly. "I have a rather important task for you." Important? Well, this was different! Normally if he was sent on an errand alone, it was rather mundane.

"It is my honor," Loki breathed truthfully. He was pretty excited about this! Odin smiled warmly at him.

"I need you to go up to Valhalla and speak to the Valkyrs."

Loki's face fell. The Valkyrs were the guardians of Valhalla, and the conveyers of warriors who had fallen in battle. The Valkyrs didn't like live men, and the last time Loki had interacted with a group of them didn't turn out so well for him. Odin must have thought about the same thing, since he rumbled a chuckle.

"Do not worry," Odin laughed. "They know that you are coming and will not harm you. Do make sure that you are properly dressed and take the ravens. They'll relay the information back to you as you rejoin your brother." The raven's beady eyes watched Loki carefully as he tried not to stare back.

"Why send me?" Loki asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"The information they are bringing back from their campaign is important," Odin explained. "I require someone I can trust to retrieve it and guard the ravens." Odin trusted him? Loki was suddenly very interested in this little adventure.

"Which group is returning?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral. However, his parent's smiles gave away the fact that they knew the true reason why he was excited about visiting Valhalla.

"Sigyn's group," Odin replied. "I know how much you've missed her." Missed her? She had been gone for a year on a mission with her sisters. He hadn't seen her, heard her, felt her… Loki ran a hand through his hair. He did allow a true smile to form on his face though.

"So that's why you chose me," he continued to smile. Odin put a hand on his shoulder.

"Only a small part of the reason. I know how much she means to you," Odin said. "They're expecting your arrival this evening. Then you'll catch up with Thor the following day."

"Take Sleipnir," Frigga encouraged. "He needs a good run." Odin nodded in agreement and Loki felt himself grow warm. The horse, well, was a touchy subject. He fought back frightening memories, quickly thinking about the task at hand. How he was going to get to Thor he was going to have to figure out there.

"Thank you, Father," Loki said, giving a slight bow. Odin replied by patting his shoulder as Frigga gently hugged him.

"Good luck," Odin beamed.

"Tell Sigyn that we welcome her home," Frigga took his face in her hands. "And be careful."

"I will," he smiled, before heading out of the chamber, the ravens ghosting behind him. Today certainly was turning out to be a good day!


	2. Chapter 2

Loki strode into the stables, pausing to breathe in the mixture of horse and straw. The raven pair perched in the rafters, watching Loki unblinkingly. Loki was dressed in his travel clothes, his formal wear and helm packed in his pack. Loki wrinkled his nose at the thought. He only wore the helm when he absolutely had to. It gave him the most horrible headache. These would return with Sleipnir when he left to catch up with Thor.

Speaking of Thor, Loki could hear his warriors and him loudly preparing for their travel in the spacious center of the extensive stables. Avoiding the numerous grooms and servants, Loki tried to slip by the band unseen.

Thor was standing by his grand white stallion, Snow Flake, while watching Volstagg and Fandral arguing loudly over a saddle pack. However, Hogan caught Loki's movement and nudged Thor. Thor coolly regarded his brother, before his attention was brought back to the arguing pair.

"That one is mine!"

"No its not! I won that in a bet!"

"Yeah, from me!"

A very familiar horse screech filled the air, causing everyone to turn to look at the farthest end of the stable. Sleipnir was fighting the four handlers trying to prepare him. He reared, his four front hooves lashing out at the men.

Loki rushed into action. He ran up to the horse, waving his arms to get his attention.

"Sleipnir!" Loki shouted. The horse immediately dropped all hooves to the ground, his black coat shining in the light. He gently bumped Loki in the chest, his intelligent eyes looking into Loki's. A great intelligence, just like his… no. Loki was not going to think about that. Loki stroked Sleipnir's muzzle, murmuring quietly to him.

"Easy boy. My good boy."

Slephnir whickered in response as Loki turned to the wary handlers.

"I've got him. Is his tack set out?" he asked them. Wordlessly, they motioned towards the pile of tack nearby. Loki nodded and tied the horse to a stall ring nearby. Sleipnir was calm, and playfully snorted in Loki's face.

"Hey," Loki scolded firmly. "Enough of that." Sleipnir replied by tossing his head.

"Like mother like son," Thor mocked from behind Loki. He tried very hard not to let it get to him as the others chuckled.

"The joke wasn't funny the first time, Thor," Loki growled, not turning around.

"Of course it is amusing!" Thor boomed, moving into Loki's line of sight. "You got yourself into that one." Loki didn't reply as he moved away to adjust the saddlecloth. It also gave him cover to hide his quickly coloring face. Slephnir was a subject he refused to talk about, especially to Thor. Not many knew what had happened, and he preferred to keep it that way.

Thor came in closer, but Slephnir snapped at him. Thor gave the horse a dirty look as Loki hid a smile. That's my boy, Loki thought to himself.

"Father is letting you take him?" Thor asked in disgust.

"Technically he is mine," Loki pointed out, lifting the heavy saddle. "Don't you have some Mountain Giants to hunt down or something productive like that?" Thor scowled.

"You'll know how to find us?" Thor growled.

"Besides following the trail of destruction?" Loki teased. Thor didn't look to be in a teasing mood. "Yes Thor, I can always find you. Don't worry, I'll catch up sometime tomorrow." Thor nodded and started to walk away. He paused, before he looked over his shoulder at him, his face soft.

"Good luck," he grunted.

"Good hunting," Loki replied quietly. Thor nodded before leaving. Slephnir turned his head to look at Loki.

"He'll be fine," Loki said more to himself than to the horse. "And I'll be fine." Slephnir shook his head, causing the harness to jangle.

Cheers went up as Thor and his warriors rode out, heading for the mountains. Loki paused long enough to watch their departure, before continuing getting ready. He wasn't in a rush. If he rushed Slephnir, it wouldn't be a smooth ride.

"We're going to Valhalla," Loki told him. "Sigyn is returning. You excited to see her?" Slephnir nodded his head vigorously, starting to prance in place. Loki smiled. He was excited too.

Soon they were ready. Loki took one last look over everything, making sure packs were tied down tightly and all buckles were in place. Slephnir was raring to go, as he tossed his head and pranced. Loki unhitched the impatient horse, before swinging himself up onto his back. Slephnir gave a whinny before taking off down the length of the stable. There weren't any cheers for him, as grooms and servants flattened themselves against the walls to avoid the flurry of hooves.

Loki didn't even need to tell Slephnir where to go as he galloped for the rainbow bridge. The raven pair glided alongside horse and rider, the sound of rushing wind being the only sound Loki could hear as they raced down the length of the bridge.

Slephnir slowed as the approached the observatory, snorting as Heimdall regarded the strange quartet silently.

"Good Heimdall," Loki greeted. "We are on the Allfather's business to Valhalla." Heimdall looked Loki over silently with an air of distrust. Everyone kept telling Loki that it was Heimdall's job to not trust anyone and it wasn't just him he didn't like. Except, it may had to do with the little prank Loki pulled on him when Loki was younger. Whatever.

"Sigyn and her sisters have already returned," Heimdall told him in his rich, bass voice. "She is eager for your arrival."

Did everyone know? Damn.

Loki nodded his head, and Heimdall escorted them inside. Slephnir shook his harness irritably, not liking being in such an enclosed space. He snorted again as Heimdall opened he Bifrost. With another nod to the gatekeeper, Loki urged Slephnir forward.

Trips on the Bifrost always made Loki's head spin. But soon enough, Slephnir's hooves touched solid ground and he reared with a whinny. The ravens complained about the trip quite loudly on his shoulders, adding to the building headache.

"Shut up, all of you," Loki growled. He pinched the bridge of his nose, allowing his magic to clear up the pain in his head. He gave a sniff as he looked around.

The golden gates of Valhalla had opened at their arrival, and he urged Slephnir forward. He could hear the sounds of battle in the distance, as the souls of the honored fallen waged their daily battle. At sundown, they will return to the Great Hall to dine and sing songs of victory.

The small group passed through the small city, with Loki keeping a wary eye on the increasing numbers of Valkyr.

At the center rose the great Valkyr Palace, where the sisters resided and their leader, Brunhide, oversaw their operations. Slephnir approached the steps leading to the massive palace doors, pausing at the foot.

This was the tricky part. The Valkyr had long memories and short tempers. They especially hated him because he pulled several pranks on them in the past. Brunhilde personally drug him into the throne room and at Odin's feet by his ear when he turned her prized spear into a snake. Apparently, she didn't like snakes.

The maidens stared down at him, deep scowls on their faces. Before he could speak, a lone Valkyr approached him. She seemed younger than the others, but judging by the look on her face, his reputation had preceded him.

"Follow me," she said sharply, before heading off to the nearby stables. They entered the spacious stables, where the herd of all white mares watched the quartet warily. Slephnir whickered in greeting, while Loki took a tighter grip on the reins as he led the horse through.

"Easy boy," Loki whispered to the horse. "I know you're a stud, but keep it to yourself. These ladies mean business." Slephnir nodded in agreement, as the maiden indicated towards an empty guest stall. Several grooms materialized out of nowhere, starting to care for the horse.

"Take your things and follow me," the maiden turned her nose up, slowly walking out of stable. Loki had to scramble to collect his packs and stride after her. The ravens met him outside, as they all headed for a side entrance to the palace.

Loki could barely keep up with the maze of corridors until the maiden paused in front of the guest quarters. She whirled around to face him, her intense steel-blue eyes causing Loki to flinch slightly.

"You will present yourself before Brunhilde in a candle mark," she instructed, looking him up and down again. "Make yourself presentable." With a turn of the heel, she marched off. Loki slowly released the breath he was unaware that he was holding before entering the chambers.

The living area was awash with pale colors, and he spied the bedroom off to the side. He deposited his packs on the bed and quickly began to change. He noticed a basin with water, and he quickly sponged himself down before starting the tedious process of dressing in his formal wear.

Lastly, was his helm. His frown was mirrored in the gold side, the matching pair of horns curling over like a goat. He hated this thing. He secretly wanted Thor's helm, with the silver wings that weighed a lot less. But, Thor got first pick, so Loki was stuck with this one. Loki was just tempted to just carry it, but that would look even sillier. He gave a frustrated sigh, and put it on. The center point dug into his forehead, and he desperately tried to ignore it.

He was adjusting his cape when the main door opened then shut loudly. The maiden had returned, giving him a once over with her eyes before indicating for him to follow her. He glanced at the ravens, who flapped after him.

He didn't know why he was suddenly nervous as they walked to the gathering hall. More and more Valkyr were in the hallway, all giving him suspicious and even angry looks as they past. Thankfully, the presence of the ravens prevented words to be thrown in his direction. Loki lifted his chin, trying very hard to hide his nerves.

They approached the great hall doors, which opened ominously. There were much more Valkyr in the room, with Brunhilde sitting in the front of the room holding court.

She had a fierce frown on her face as Loki walked the long, lonely length of the room to her. Her fiery red hair bushed out under her ceremonial helmet (similar to Thor's, Loki noticed) with her spear clutched in her hand. The ravens landed on his shoulders, causing him to sway a little. Brunhilde leaned forward in her seat, her eyes frigid.

"Loki Odinson," she growled. "If the Allfather hadn't been the one who sent you I would strike you down where you stand!" Loki shifted uncomfortably under the weight of the ravens.

"I apologized," he sneered. Brunhilde's temper raged, but she wisely stayed in her seat.

"I am here to collect the information gathered by your warriors," Loki said a little too loudly, his voice over compensating for his nerves. Brunhilde continued to scowl at him. "Please?" The women in the room laughed darkly as his face warmed. His helm was digging into his forehead as sweat dribbled down the back of his neck. Brunhilde smiled slightly at his discomfort, before motioning over two of her personal warriors.

"Take the ravens to the meeting room," she instructed. "I will meet with them there. Take him," she put emphasis on 'him', "to the receiving room. The long awaited one is there to see him." A deep rumble filled the room at that remark. Loki allowed the ravens to leave his shoulders before going into as deep a bow as his helm would allow. The women laughed again as he fought to regain his balance. Feeling his face grow warm, he followed a different maiden escorted him out into a side hallway. Even for all their mocking, Loki was just steps away from seeing Sigyn!

Once there, he let out a shaky breath. He quivered in relief that he made it out alive. Brunhilde was a force to be reckoned with and was still angry with him apparently.

He suddenly realized that the maiden was gone, and he was alone in the small receiving room. There was an open balcony, with sheer curtains wafting in the gentle breeze. He pried his helm off his head, setting it on an end table. His eyes swept the room anxiously for Sigyn, but he couldn't see her. He walked onto the balcony, noticing that the great battle had ended and the spirits of the fallen warriors were heading back to their chambers to clean up before the feast. He rubbed his sore head, a headache pounding his skull.

The presence of magic alerted him that there was someone else in the room. He cautiously reentered the room, his eyes sweeping for the sign of the intruder. There was a slight scent of roses, which was odd since there weren't any in the room itself. The scent triggered a memory, and his heart started to race. Every part of him went on edge as he slowly drew a dagger out from its hiding place.

Someone grabbed him from behind, and he whirled around to see the last of the figure dematerialize away. He was attacked from behind again, this time the person grabbed him around the neck and they were pulled down to the couch. Expert hands found his secondary dagger before wriggling out from underneath and pinning him against the couch. The blade kissed his throat as he looked into a pair of familiar grey eyes.

"You're out of practice, my Prince," Sigyn scolded with a smile. Loki grinned despite himself.

"I let you catch me," he replied. She slowly got off of him, the blade being the last to leave.

Loki looked her over with an adoring eye. Her blonde hair was layered around her face, which she tucked behind her. Sigyn has always been the only Valkyr who got along with Loki. They had meet years before when she had helped him out of a very sensitive situation. He had instantly been drawn to her kindness and her cleverness, and a friendship soon bloomed as she helped him hone his magical talent. A friendship developed into a romantic relationship, one which her Valkyr sisters constantly protested and his family watched from a distance.

"You got new blades," Sigyn admired, turning it over in her hands. "Beautiful craftsmanship. Were they made for you?"

"Thor got me them on my Name Day," Loki replied, sitting up and taking it from her. "And, yes, they were made for me." He felt his stomach drop as she smiled softly at him. They stared at each other, both not quite what to say. It had been a year, why couldn't Loki speak?!

Sigyn responded by taking one of his hands, and pulling him off the couch. Her arms encircled his waist, and she buried her face into his chest. He managed to get his arms working, and they encircled her as he rested his chin on the top of her head. She sighed contently, as he smiled to himself. This is where he felt safe. This, in her arms, is where he belonged. He breathed in her rose-scent, and that pesky muscle in his shoulder relaxed.

"I've missed you," her voice was muffled by his tunic.

"I've missed you too," he replied softly.

"Hmmm," she sighed again. He backed up and sat down carefully, bringing her down to sit next to him as she snuggled up against him.

"This year has been rough," she said softly. "The missions we were put on, the foes we had to face, being away from you…" She turned so she was leaning against him, and he realized that there was a box in her hands.

"What's this?" he asked. She tilted her head back so she was looking up at him.

"For you," she said in a small voice, holding the box out to him. Loki suddenly felt guilty that he didn't bring her anything as he took the box. He opened it, and looked down at her in surprise.

"What are these?" he asked, pulling one of the tiny daggers out.

"They're throwing daggers," Sigyn explained. "They're small and easily concealed. The star shaped design helps with throwing them, or stabbing with them. They're much better in a fight than the longer ones."

Loki palmed the small blade, noticing that he could easily hide them in his hand if needed. They were silver, with four points on them, one of them longer and sharper than the others. He smiled to himself as he put it away.

"Thank you," he kissed the top of her head. She grabbed his chin so he was forced to look into her stormy grey eyes.

"You didn't do it right," she whispered, bringing their faces together. They kissed gently at first, before it grew more passionate.

"What is this vital information that I was supposed to retrieve?" he asked her softly, nuzzling her neck. Sigyn pushed him an arms length away, her eyes flashing dangerously at him.

"Seriously?" her tone was flat and nasal. "We haven't seen each other for a year and you want to know about some rather uninteresting piece of information?" Ouch. Loki knew he was going to pay for this.

"It is the reason I was sent in the first place," he explained. Sigyn sat up, glowering at him from the other end of the couch. She let out a huff before looking at the far wall. Yep, he was paying for it.

"The Mountain Giants have allied themselves with the Dark Elves," Sigyn replied with an eye roll. "We couldn't make sense of it, especially since we didn't discover anything else." Loki's body tensed. Thor was off to intercept those giants right now! Giants easily could fight off a couple of giants. However, the Dark Elves had magic. Only Loki could fight them. Sigyn narrowed her eyes at his look of horror. "What's wrong?"

"There have been Mountain Giant sightings in Asgard," Loki explained, leaping to his feet. "Thor was sent to go after them and I was to follow tomorrow." Sigyn's eyes went wide.

"Do you think they're after Thor, or you?" she asked fearfully.

"I don't know," he replied, turning to look her in the eyes. "But I need to go and warn him." Sigyn set her jaw, her fiery and determined spirit shining through.

"Go change and pack," she ordered. "I'll get your horse ready."

"Careful, I brought Slephnir," Loki warned her. Sigyn's eyes lit up.

"Oh good! I haven't seen him in ages!" she exclaimed. She rushed out the door, with Loki fast on her heels.

Moments later, Loki met Sigyn in the stables. Slephnir was ready to go, plunging and snorting as Sigyn tried to calm him.

"Easy boy, easy," Sigyn soothed as Loki lashed the bundles to the saddle. Slephnir calmed at her voice and touch, one intelligent eye watching her.

"That's it," Loki panted, keeping himself as calm as possible. Sigyn grabbed him, kissing him firmly on the mouth. She pulled away, every part of her glowing in the dim light of the stable.

"Stay safe," she whispered.

"I'm going to be with Thor," he pointed out. She rolled her eyes.

"Exactly," she said dryly. He grinned at her before swinging up. Slephnir half-reared before taking off in the dying light.

The flight back to Asgard left Loki quickly coming up with a plan. So far, the only thing that was going through his mind was that Thor was going into a trap. Before he knew it, Slephnir was pounding into the stables, sending grooms and servants scurrying for cover.

"You!" Loki shouted, pointing to one of the servants who had come running in as he slipped off Slephnir's back. "I need to see the Allfather immediately! Now!" The servant fled as Loki began throwing orders to the others. Once he had the entire stables in an uproar, he rushed after the long-gone servant.

Servants and palace visitors scrambled out of the way and Loki practically flew down hallways. He ran into the first servant, whose eyes were wide in shock.

"Well?" Loki growled.

"Throne room," the servant gasped. Loki ran. He burst into the throne room, out of breath and skidding on the smooth floor.

"Loki!" Frigga cried out, clearly alarmed. Loki managed to catch a glimpse of himself in a reflective surface. There was a wild look in his eyes, his hair tousled and wind-whipped. He winced as a stitch caught in his side.

"What happened?" Odin demanded as both parents approached him.

"The Dark Elves and the Mountain Giants are allies," Loki fought for air. "Thor is in danger." Odin and Frigga looked at each other in horror.

"Rouse the warriors!" Odin bellowed at a nearby guard. "Go to our prince's aide!"

"I can get there faster!" Loki protested. "I can…"

"No, Loki," Odin turned to face him. "You have done enough."

"But I can do it!"

"No."

"Father!"

"I said no!" Odin bellowed, rounding on Loki. Loki stared at him, his mouth agape. Why wouldn't he let Loki go help his brother? This was something that would prove to the Allfather that he was capable of everything Thor was! With that thought firmly in his mind, Loki clenched his teeth. There was only one thing to do, though he was going to dearly pay for it later. His parents were arguing in hissed whispers, paying no attention to him, and he bolted for the door.

"Loki!" Frigga screamed as he dashed from the room. He could hear his father bellowing orders as he raced back to the stables.

He couldn't take Slephnir, despite his demanding whinnies as he crashed against his stable door. Loki vaulted onto the back of his main mount, Blitz, who was already prepared by one of the grooms. Her calm personality was not bothered by the chaos surrounding her.

The stable doors flung open, as numerous members of the guard poured in. To his annoyance, Loki realized that they were after him, not rushing to their own mounts.

"My Lord! The Allfather insists…"

"Yah!" Loki shouted, kicking his mount into movement. Blitz shot forward, nearly trampling the guard. The pair shot out of stables and into the dying light. Loki turned Blitz's head towards the mountains, setting a determined look on his face. Nothing was going to stop him.


	3. Chapter 3

Loki grew worried as the light began to fade. They had been running for miles, with no sign of Thor. Loki could easily track his brother down- that was the easy part. He tended to leave a trail of destruction even a troll could follow. However, something seemed to be masking Thor's location. It was as if he was there, but not there.

That's my illusion, Loki growled to himself, aware that Blitz was starting to tire. Knowing that it was stupid to push her any further at this speed, he reluctantly slowed the horse down to a walk. Blitz shook her head in protest, her determination to get her rider to his destination in a hurry outweighing the fact that she was exhausted.

"Easy girl," he said softly, stroking her sweating neck. "Just a bit further." She gave a snort as she continued on at a brisk walk. Loki listened for any sounds of a fight. There were physical signs that Thor had passed here, but his actual location was still hidden from him. Loki ground his teeth in frustration. Magic had to be involved if he couldn't even track Thor.

Blitz had rounded a corner, when sounds of battle reached Loki's ears. He urged Blitz into a trot before plunging her off the trail and into the forest. He didn't want to be seen so he could surprise his enemy if needed.

Mountain Giants, their massive bodies blocking any chance of escape, had cornered Thor and the others on the trail. Even though Thor was often incredibly stupid, he was far more intelligent than the average Mountain Giant. Loki had seen several opportunities for the group to escape, but they couldn't. Thor looked frustrated, which wasn't a good sign. There had to be another force at play here. But, what could it be?

Loki dismounted, searching the surrounding area for the source of the magic he had felt earlier. His eyes narrowed as he discovered it.

At least six Dark Elves were crouched along the ridge overlooking the battle below. They were using their magic to block the band in, while giving the Mountain Giants stronger than normal strength. Even Miolnir was no match for their extra power. This wasn't good.

A plan leapt to Loki's mind, and he tied the reins to Blitz's saddle. Blitz gave him a curious look.

"Go distract them," Loki whispered to her, pointing at the giants. "Then go find the others." Blitz snorted in response before galloping towards the fight. Loki sprinted for the ridge as the horse broke into the fight. He wasn't worried about her. He had selected her out of dozens to choose from for her not just for her calm personality, but for her determination to fight if needed. She was also the only one who tolerated having magic being used around her. The other horses all spooked when he tried using a spell. She was also extremely intelligent, for a horse. Thor, however, picked his mount for its looks. That horse was dumber than the giants that were now trying to catch Blitz.

Loki finished climbing up the ridge, pausing long enough to get his breathing under control and watch Blitz practically dance as she avoided capture. Thor's eyes were wide as he recognized the horse, and began looking around for her rider. The others started to recognize her too, looking more determined knowing that Loki was somehow near.

Loki turned his attention to the elves, which were muttering amongst themselves in irritation.

"That's not one of their horses!"

"Someone else must be here!"

"But who?"

A scarred and grizzled elf suddenly got a look of recognition on his face. He curled his lip into a sneer.

"The magic user," he growled. "The other prince. He is close." Loki felt chilled by the elf's dark tone. Loki realized that he was about to run out of time, and he quickly began to unravel the spells that they were using. The elves screeched as the last spell fell away, allowing the Asgardians to turn the tide of the fight.

Three of the elves clamored down to try to aid the giants, while the leader and the remaining two started to madly search for Loki. Loki chuckled to himself. Showtime!

Loki flung two of the new throwing daggers, felling the two elves. The leader fixed Loki's location with a glare, baring his teeth.

"Show yourself, trickster!" the leader shouted. "I know that you are there."

"The other prince?" Loki drawled, stepping out of the shadows. "I'm insulted."

"You are an abomination," the leader growled.

Loki gave a snort. "I've been called worse." What did he mean by, abomination?

"I will kill you myself," the leader drew a long-bladed dagger. "You should have never existed in the first place."

"I'd love to see you try," Loki mocked, though he was slightly concerned by the leader's words. Who was he to say if Loki should have existed or not?

The leader charged him, and Loki disappeared. He reappeared behind the leader, drawing his dagger at the same time. However, he had landed too close and had to scoot out of the way to avoid the blade catching his ribs. The leader jumped as well, and Loki moved to keep his back against a tree. He reappeared close by and Loki swung at him.

The leader howled as the edge of Loki's blade caught his shoulder. He danced out of the way, then paused as suddenly the leader split into multiple duplicates of himself. Loki had never seen a spell like this and was intrigued. Except, now he had no idea which one was the original.

The all lunged at him, and Loki panicked for a brief moment. He swung out, his hand catching mostly air. One of the side apparitions moved, and he felt the leader knock into him sideways. Loki was thrown off balance, his footing slipping on the edge of the ridge. He gave a gasp as he felt himself slipping over the edge, and the leader tugged him back onto solid ground. The leader came in close, grabbing Loki by the jaw.

"You are not who they say you are," he snarled in Loki's ear. Loki gave a gasp of surprise as the blade slid into his side. His body exploded in pain as the leader yanked the blade out of him, and he cried out despite himself. The leader let him go, but his legs couldn't support him. Loki crumpled to the ground, shaking as the pain rippled throughout his body. There was something more for the pain to be this bad. Magic had to be involved. He weakly lifted his head to watch the leader turn to give him a dark look, before disappearing into the darkness.

Loki bit his lip to prevent him from crying out as he rolled onto his back. Every breath he took felt as if the dagger was plunged into his side over and over again. Tears stung his eyes and his vision swam. He had to get to the others before he passed out. The thought of the climb down and the pain he was going to experience made him nauseous.

Thor's bellow far below caused him to weakly turn onto his uninjured side so he could look over the edge. Thor was pacing madly far below, hurling insults into the night air as the Mountain Giants fled. The others kept their distance, wary of Thor's thunderous mood.

Knowing he was just delaying the inevitable, Loki managed to drag himself onto his feet. He staggered towards the way he came up, tasting blood as his teeth cut his lip as he bit down. Thor was still bellowing below, though he couldn't make out what he was saying.

Loki practically slid down the side of the cliff, landing on his back. He cried out loudly, tears starting to fall down his face. Thor paused in his bellowing, and Loki heard multiple feet rush around the corner to him. He pulled himself into a kneeling position, both hands clamped around his side in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. He tried using his magic, but he was having trouble controlling it. Also, something seemed to be blocking his attempts.

Loki blinked as his eyes adjusted to the torchlight that the group brought with them. The band immediately lowered their weapons when they saw him and Loki immediately noticed why Thor was so angry: Milnoir was missing. Thor was red in the face, his eyes flashing in anger.

"Where were you?" Thor shouted, not realizing that Loki was about to pass out from the pain.

"Thor…" Fandral started to point out. Thor silenced him with a raised hand, his eyes boring into Loki.

"Saving your sorry arse," Loki managed to get out. Thor's frown deepened.

"By sending your trick pony?" Thor shouted again. "While you hid?" Loki's vision was starting to go, unconsciousness quick on its heels.

"Who do you think got rid of the elves?" Loki hissed.

"Thor…" Volstagg tugged on his cape.

"What do elves have anything to do with the fact that those giants stole Milnoir!" Thor bellowed. Loki swayed, fighting hard to stay conscious.

"They're working together," Loki said through his teeth. "For what purpose, I don't know." Thor's eyes flashed.

"You knew?" he raised his fist. Loki was too out of it to care that his brother was going hit him. But, to his surprise, Sif got between them.

"Thor!" she shouted in Thor's face. "Loki's hurt!" Thor looked slightly stunned before lowering his fist. Sif was immediately at Loki's side, prying his hands from the wound. Sif looked it over before glancing over her shoulder at Thor.

"Dagger wound," she announced. She turned to look at Loki again, genuine concern in her eyes. "What happened?" He wanted to know why she was helping him, but another wave of dizziness prevented him.

"The elf leader and I fought," Loki said woozily. "He used a magic on me I did not know." Thor's face softened a little into being the concerned brother.

"It's pretty bad," Sif said. "He needs a healer immediately." Thor nodded, looking more frightened than a leader. With his hammer gone and his brother injured, he must be feeling helpless.

"I'll get the horses," Hogan offered, running back around the corner. Thor knelt so he could look Loki in the eye. His crystal blue eyes were wide in concern, and Loki tried to give him his usual smirk.

"Do I ever lie to you?" his speech slurred. "Don't worry I'll be alright." Thor put a protective hand on Loki's shoulder, his eyes searching his face.

"Are you telling me the truth?" he whispered. Loki winced.

"Of course I am," he said truthfully. "Don't worry, I'll be back to being at your side and being your whipping boy in no time. Though, father wont be pleased with me." Thor gave him a worried look.

"What did you do?" he demanded. Loki fought to keep his eyes open.

"I went after you without his permission," Loki replied. "He even sent the guard after me."

Thor gave him a weak smile as Hogan came back with the horses. Blitz gave a whinny in greeting as Thor went back to being in charge.

"I'll take him back home," Thor instructed. "Follow behind. Snow Flake, come!" The white horse gave him a dull look. Blitz pranced forward, fixing Thor with a stare.

"Um…" Thor hummed in concern.

"She can carry us both," Loki reassured his brother. "She's the fastest one." Thor nodded and untied the reins as Fandral and Volstagg got Loki to his feet. He found that he could barely stand as Thor brought the mare to him.

"Down," Loki whispered to her, and she dropped to a knee. He was helped onto her back and hissed in pain as she stood back up. Thor swung up behind him, one arm wrapped carefully around his waist and the other on the reins.

As Blitz began to move forward, Loki felt his eyes close. Blitz began to fly for home, and he was lost to the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

Loki's eyes slowly opened, wincing as they adjusted to the bright light. At first he could only see light, then colors. He blinked several times before shapes came to him, and then focused on the starry patterns on his ceiling.

He was unsure as to how he was in his room with no memory of how he got here. Loki's mind slowly began to function, as thoughts whirled faster and faster in his mind. Like bolts from Milnoir, flashes of that terrible night struck before his eyes. Faster and faster the memories came, until the leader's eyes bore into his. Loki tried to sit up in alarm, but the pain in his side caused him to double up and let out a small cry along with a curse. The pain quickly faded away, though a throb was left.

His door opened quickly and the faint scent of roses reached him. He lifted his head to see Sigyn rush into the room. Her eyes were concerned as she quickly began to look him over, brushing a stray curl out of his face.

"You're awake!" she said softly, her voice cracking a little. He gently took her hand and brushed it with a kiss. Her face flushed slightly, but her eyes remained worried. Things must have turned out badly if she was this anxious.

"What," his voice cracked. He paused in surprise. Why wasn't his voice working? Sigyn quickly reached for something out of his line of sight. He heard the sound of liquid being poured into a vessel, before she turned to him with the very familiar warrior look in her eye.

"You've been unconscious for three days," she explained. Loki's mouth dropped in shock. Three?! He had never been out that long because of an injury or illness before! She caught the look of horror on his face, her eyes returning to looking concerned.

"Here, I'm going to help you sit up," she changed the subject. "No, don't try to do it on your own, you'll just rip your wound open." With Sigyn's help, he managed to prop himself against the headboard. The wound throbbed with intensity, and he fought back a wave of nausea as he leaned his head back and shut his eyes. He felt Sigyn move slightly, before he felt the rim of a cup touch his lips.

He opened his eyes a crack to see Sigyn staring at him. He put his hand over hers and tipped the liquid into his mouth. It cleared his throat, and he lowered the cup. He opened his eyes fully, his hand remaining on hers. She leaned in slightly, the concern in her eyes slowly being replaced by something else.

"Three days?" he managed to find his voice. Signy stopped moving. Her eyes narrowed slightly before she sat on the edge of the bed, looking slightly disappointed.

"Three days," she echoed. "I came as fast as I could. Seeing you…" She trailed off, biting her lower lip. She quickly turned her head away from him, her watery grey eyes hidden from him in a cascade of blonde hair.

Valkyr rarely showed personal emotions to outsiders. Only those closest to them could truly know how one was feeling. It was a neat trick that Loki had picked up and spent a great deal of time perfecting.

Sigyn was no different from her sisters. Even though they had known each other on a deep, personal level for years, emotions were still difficult to express for her. Loki just had to be patient.

Loki had reached out to brush aside her hair from her face, but the stiffness in his side prevented it. He sucked air in through his teeth, causing Sigyn to turn back to him. Tears had already fallen, their tracks showing on her face. She quickly dried them, looking embarrassed that she was crying in front of him.

Loki held a hand out to her, and she very cautiously curled up on his good side. She buried her face in his shoulder, and he could feel that she was trembling slightly.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," he murmured to her. "Everything is alright."

"It was horrible," her voice shook, her voice slightly muffled from his shoulder. "The room was in chaos, Thor was going on about a fight, and you were just lying there! Lying there pale as death and no one telling what was going on or if you were…" she trailed off again. Loki didn't need her to finish though. If she was this shook up, it meant that he was in worse shape than he thought. She lifted her head again to look at him, tears freely falling this time.

"We were apart for an entire year," she rasped out. "And on my return, I almost lose you again." There was a deep pain in her eyes, as if the thought of losing him was going to make her lose her mind.

He gently tilted her chin, before brushing his lips with hers. Sigyn tensed briefly, then relaxed. She kissed him back, pushing his head against the headboard. She was careful to not accidently jostle him, opting instead to take his face in her hands. This freed his hands to cradle her back, drawing her in close.

The door slammed open, setting Sigyn into action. In one fluid movement, she moved to place herself between Loki and the intruder, while her dagger leapt to her hand. Loki was a bit unnerved by how quickly she could turn from amorous to Valkyr in the blink of an eye. But not as unnerved by the large figure frozen in the doorway.

Sigyn gave a hefty sigh before sheathing her blade irritably. "Thor, learn how to knock." Loki looked around Sigyn to see Thor standing there in shock. His eyes darted between the pair before a foolish grin spread across his face.

"Right," he replied thickly. "Knock first." Even though he couldn't see her face, Loki knew that Sigyn was frowning. She wasn't a big fan about everyone knowing about their relationship either.

"We weren't doing anything," she growled, sitting firmly in the seat next to the bed, glowering.

Loki observed his brother. Even with the foolish grin he looked, lost. His hands didn't seem to know what to do with themselves while he tip toed to the bedside. He just stood there, avoiding getting too close to the irritated Sigyn while looking his brother over.

"I take it the hammer is still missing," Loki changed the subject. Thor nodded his head glumly.

"I was, worried about you," he said innocently. Loki's face softened a little. No matter how tough Thor liked to pretend he was around his gang, Loki knew that he could be quite the fluff ball.

"I would like to know what happened," Loki replied, running a hand over his face. "The last thing I remember was being put on Blitz." Sigyn and Thor glanced at each other.

"How much have you told him?" Thor asked her.

"Just a small amount," she replied unhappily. "Only from when I arrived." Thor's mouth turned down slightly.

"The healers fought to bring you back from the edge," Thor told quietly. "We almost lost you." OK, thought Loki, I've already heard that part.

"I almost died, that's great. I'm sure everyone was disappointed I survived. Moving on," Loki said, aloof. Contrary to his words, judging by the pair's faces, his brush with death seemed to have had a strong, negative response.

"The Allfather is furious," Sigyn continued. "With the both of you."

"Yeah," Thor looked uncomfortable. "He wasn't pleased that I let you get hurt." Loki raised an eyebrow. Father was actually concerned about his welfare? Interesting. Mother must have put him up to this.

"Why is he angry with you?" Sigyn asked Loki, looking curious.

"I went after Thor," Loki replied, shifting his position slightly, trying to find a more comfortable spot. "He sent the guard after me and everything."

"We past them on the way back," Thor replied. "I don't know if you are getting punished or not. I already received mine." Loki missed Thor getting punished? Damn it! He hoped it was good.

"I think Loki's been punished enough," Sigyn sniffed, lifting her chin stubbornly.

"Anyway," Loki changed the subject. "Anything else I missed?"

"The healers did mention something about the blade," Thor furrowed his brow, trying to remember.

"They said if it was a regular blade, then he wouldn't have sustained such damage," Sigyn clarified, then gave Loki a knowing look. She must have noticed the magic right away. The healers wouldn't have been able to heal that part.

Loki thought back to the fight. Why he hadn't noticed that the blade was magic, he didn't know. Oh, wait, because he was fighting for his life. Great, something else he needed to train on. The verbal threat the leader had said to him rung in his ears. He should never have existed? An abomination? What did he mean?

"Sigyn, mother, and father all took turns looking over you until you woke," Thor continued. "I wasn't allowed to."

"That was your punishment?" Loki asked in disbelief. "Lame." Thor narrowed his eyes.

"No, it wasn't," Thor muttered, playing with his hands.

"Has there been any word from the giants or elves?" Loki changed the subject again. "There must be some reason for them taking Milnoir." Thor began to pace.

"As hostage," Sigyn replied for Thor. "Loki, don't give me that look. I don't know why. I was watching you when the message came." They both looked at Thor, who looked highly uncomfortable.

"They want mother," Thor mumbled. Loki narrowed his eyes.

"Why?" he demanded. Thor didn't look him in the eye.

"I don't know," Thor lied. Loki folded his arms over his chest.

"You can't lie to me," Loki scolded. "That's my area of expertise." Thor's face fell.

"The lord of the Mountain Giants is looking for a bride," Thor's face turned red. Loki grew angry. There was no way in the name of the nine realms that he was going to allow the giants to take his mother. But, that damn hammer was a very powerful weapon if left in the wrong hands. This was sounding more and more like the Dark Elves were behind this, but he didn't have any proof of that except the fight. He wasn't about to tell anyone about what had been said to him.

"What is father planning?" Loki asked, ideas of his own starting to whirl around in his head. Thor shrugged.

"I don't know," he replied quietly. "All I know is that a delegation is arriving tomorrow to talk terms." Ideas quickly turned into plans as Sigyn peered into his face.

"Uh-oh," she smiled. "I know that look. You're planning something."

"When isn't he?" Thor grumbled. Loki tapped a finger to his lips.

Often, whenever a delegation from any of the realms came to Asgard, both princes were present to observe. It was all a fine dance of negotiating and bartering, with hopefully both sides coming to a positive agreement. Thor was pathetic at it. He either gave in or lost his temper.

Loki, on the other hand, was a natural at it. He proved on more than one occasion that he could think quick on his feet and often could trick the delegate into thinking that it was their idea all along. This is where he got the name 'Silver Tongue' by the delegates. He tolerated this name more than the others he heard. Though the thought of delegates not looking happy when they spotted him in the corner made him smile a little.

Loki's talent had impressed Odin. However, Thor had to learn how to do it so he knew what to do when he would eventually take over. Loki had begged and pleaded to be let to it, but father had refused. The compromise had been that Thor would speak, but Loki would feed him what to say. Both hated the deal, but it was either that or going against the Allfather's command. It was better than having to constantly be at war as well.

Still lost in thought, Loki slowly and painfully began to attempt to crawl out of bed. Sigyn and Thor immediately protested and he was roughly pushed back.

"I need to speak to father," Loki growled.

"Then I'll go fetch him," Thor kept Loki pinned with one hand. "You aren't getting up."

"Why not?" Loki demanded.

"Because I said so," Sigyn said sourly.

"You need to rest," Thor said gently.

"I do what I want, Thor," Loki growled.

"Shut up, Loki," Sigyn hissed.

"Then I wont tell you my plan," Loki taunted.

"That's frightening," Thor said slowly.

"Not as much as when you have one," Sigyn pointed out. She glanced at the still sour Loki. "What is your plan?" Loki smirked.

"You'll see."


	5. Chapter 5

The throne room was void of the usual court members. In their place was half of the guard lining the walls. Heimdall would be coming later with the delegates, along with the other half of the guard.

Thor and their mother were a room next door. It had been Loki's idea to have them there out of sight, but could still hear everything going on. No one wanted to risk the giants trying to carry her off, though Loki knew that his mother would have fought with the strength of ten Valkyr for trying. She wasn't known as the Warrior Queen for nothing. Thor was obvious. The last thing they needed was a war breaking out.

Odin sat uneasily on the throne, throwing Loki occasional side glances. Loki had positioned himself next to the throne, but where he could also lean against it. He was still fairly weak, with only a minimal amount of support needed. Though he was in full ceremonial garb, he wasn't wearing his helm. Thank goodness.

"Are you alright?" Odin asked him for the hundredth time.

"I'll be fine," Loki responded firmly.

"Are you sure? You look…"

Loki turned to stare at his father. He looked genuinely concerned, his mouth drawn into a firm line.

"I will be fine," Loki repeated. Odin nodded, still looking at him.

"I hope your plan works," Odin muttered. Loki smiled faintly.

"It will," he said confidently.

Odin didn't get a chance to respond, as the doors to the throne room opened. Heimdall led the way, and Loki got a first look at the delegates.

They hadn't done much dealing with the Mountain Giants before. Loki had been in the room when they met with Dark Elves a few years prior, but this was his first time actually interacting with either race.

There were four Mountain Giants, dressed to impress. Loki immediately began to analyze the quartet, easily picking out the leader. Their leader had a servant of sort, with two warriors coming in the rear. All of them unarmed.

Right beside the quartet were two Dark Elves, and Loki clenched his jaw when he recognized one of them. The leader who had wounded Loki also noticed him, his eyes narrowed to slits in response. Odin had noticed Loki's sudden change in stance, and he raised his eyebrow.

"That's the one who stabbed me," Loki growled softly, nodding to the dark elf leader. Odin's single eye flashed dangerously.

"Allfather," the leader Mountain Giant rumbled. "I am Rogtor, advisor to Lord Thyrm, Lord of the Mountain Giants."

"And I am Maldor," the dark elf leader growled, pushing his way forward. "General of the Third Legion." He pointed an accusing finger at Loki. "That boy is an abomination and should not be allowed to live!" Odin rose to his feet, looking every bit intimidating.

"He is my son!" Odin roared. "I will not tolerate these threats!" Rogtor gave Maldor a stupid look, and he backed down with a scowl.

"We, the Mountain Giants," Rogtor said thickly. "Hold the mighty Miölnir. We demand the lovely Frigga in return." Well, that was straight and to the point.

"Why?" Odin asked, speaking aloud the question that Loki was currently thinking.

"Lord Thrym wants her," Rogtor replied. That's disgusting, Loki thought to himself.

"And if I refuse?" Odin growled.

"Then you'll have to face the threat of war," Rogtor replied. "Without your precious hammer to protect you." Odin sat back with a fierce scowl. Loki, however, had been watching Maldor the entire time. Who was watching him in return. Why were the two races working together? There had to be more to this.

"Why are they working together?" Loki whispered to Odin. Odin leaned forward again.

"Why are your two races partnering on this endeavor?" Odin asked. "This is an unusual pairing." Maldor looked thunderous.

"They asked for our help!" Maldor spat. "They wanted their prize, and we ours." The elves want the hammer, Loki deducted. Made sense, they were the ones who made it. Well, sort of. Loki had a hand in that.

"I need a moment," Loki muttered to his father, his side starting to throb.

"I will have a response in half a candle mark," Odin replied, getting to his feet. He left the throne, Loki limping in his wake. He could feel Maldor's eyes follow him as the pair headed into the side chamber.

Loki immediately doubled over in pain, as Thor and Frigga leapt to their feet at their entrance.

"Sigyn! We need you!" Frigga shouted, running over to help Loki. Sigyn rushed into the room, and they both helped Loki to sit down. The scent of roses wafted over him as Sigyn drew her face in close to his, looking him over.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly.

"I'll be fine," Loki responded, watching his brother anxiously approach their father.

"What do they want?" Thor growled to Odin.

"They intend on making you their bride," Odin mourned, looking at Frigga. She paled a little, but lifted her head stubbornly.

"I wont go," she proclaimed.

"They threaten war if their demands are not met," Odin replied, gently taking her shoulders. She pulled away angrily.

"You are seriously considering it?" she hissed.

"No!" Odin pleaded. She continued to glare at him.

Loki had been watching his parents argue as Sigyn protectively stood by his side. Thor's band slipped in silently, giving everyone wary looks. Loki noticed that Sif was out of her usual warrior garb, and was in a simple gown instead. He took another look at Sigyn, who was also in a simple gown. Both of them looked more lady-like than their usual warrior selves.

One thought out of the thousands that were swirling around in his head stuck. He shook his head in an attempt to remove it. No, that was just crazy. But it continued to burn brighter. Soon, a full plan started to unfold.

"Sigyn, stand up. Sif, come here," Loki ordered. The two women glanced at each other. Sif turned her nose up but approached. Sigyn got up to stand next to Sif with a curious look on her face. Loki looked them both over, then a smirk curved across his face. Sigyn was fine with his staring, but it was starting to irritate Sif.

"This better be for a good reason," Sif threatened. He warily watched her hand rise to strike him. Quick as a snake, Sigyn grabbed her wrist and fixed her with a penetrating stare.

"How dare you raise a hand to him?" Sigyn hissed, Sif squirming in her grip. Loki quickly glanced at Thor, who was watching their parents in concern and being oblivious to the fight that had almost happened. Sigyn looked Sif up and down before she menacingly grinned at her. "Besides, he's looking at me, not you." Sif's face colored, her eyes hard as she massaged her released wrist.

"How well can you move in those?" Loki quickly changed the subject, motioning towards the dresses.

"Not as well as when we're in tunics," Sigyn replied, looking down at her dress. Sif nodded in agreement.

"But can you fight?"

"Yes," Sif said grudgingly. "Would you like a demonstration on your face?"

"How hard are they to make?" Loki ignored Sif. He knew that she wouldn't actually hurt him. Sigyn would have her on the floor if Sif even thought about taking a step towards him. Sigyn narrowed her eyes at him curiously.

"Where are you going with this?" she asked.

"How hard are they to make?" Loki repeated his question. He couldn't risk revealing his mad plan just yet.

"Not very," Sif replied, her curiosity starting to show. "But it does depend on how elaborate it is."

"How long do they take to make?"

"Usually a few days. Why?"

Loki grinned. This was brilliant! The room had gone silent as everyone in the room gave him strange looks, not sure if he was coming up with a plan or mad from pain.

"Father," Loki turned to Odin. "Tell the Giants that they will receive their prize in one week."

The room erupted.

"How dare you give mother over to them!"

"I refuse to go!"

"Loki, this is madness!"

"This is no way to resolve this!"

Loki pinched the bridge of his nose and counted to ten. However, they were all still shouting at him. He glared, and then clapped his hands together once. They spell caused the room to fall silent, everyone blinking at him.

"Mother is not going anywhere," Loki replied in a cold, low voice. His eyes flickered over the red-face Thor. "Brother, do you trust me?" Thor shifted his feet.

"Yes," Thor replied. "But…"

"Are you willing to do everything I say without physical or verbal abuse, and to follow every order I give you?"

Loki could see the internal battle Thor was having with himself. Thor was always in charge. But, there wasn't much choice in the matter. If Thor disagreed to this, Loki's plan wasn't going to work. Was he going to believe the trickster, or trust his brother?

"May I know what the plan is first?"

"No."

Thor folded his arms over his chest. The air in the room was tense as Thor thought it over. Loki started to grow worried. Did Thor trust him enough to let him take charge? After a much longer pause than Loki wished, Thor nodded his head.

"I will," Thor replied in a small voice. Loki gave him a true smile.

"Thank you, brother," Loki nodded his head. He looked at Odin.

"Tell the delegates that Lord Thrym's bride will arrive in one week, along with one of her handmaidens," Loki instructed. Odin was frowning, while Frigga had a neutral look on her face.

"I don't like this," Odin rumbled. Frigga searched Loki's face before putting a hand on her husband's arm.

"I trust him," she encouraged softly. "Please, trust our son. He has never led us astray before." Loki swallowed at the praise. Odin continued to frown, still not looking comfortable with placing his trust in a plan that was yet to be revealed to him.

"This better work," Odin muttered, before striding out of the room. Everyone else turned to stare at Loki, who leaned back and folded his hands across his stomach.

"Trust me," he said confidently. "Mother will be safe, a war wont break out, and Thor will get his damn hammer back." Frigga's face returned to looking like the confident mother and Queen that she was.

"Language, Loki," she warned gently.

"Sorry," he apologized with a grin. She gave him a small smile before turning back to Thor. He and the others began to talk nervously to themselves as Sigyn returned to her place sitting on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. One of her hands found his, and he began to hum a nameless tune to himself.

"What are you thinking?" Sigyn asked him softly. Loki tilted his head to the side, studying his distressed brother.

"How do you think Thor would look in blue?" he pondered. Sigyn glanced between the two princes before squinting at Loki, trying to figure out his plan.

"Alright, I guess," she replied, still searching him. "Is this part of your plan?" Loki smiled to himself but didn't respond. Oh yes, this was very much part of his plan. He was very much looking forward to making Thor do his bidding for the next several days. A chuckle sounded in the back of his throat, causing Sigyn to arch an eyebrow in his direction.

Odin came striding back in, his face still grim. The chatter in the room died away as Odin fixed his one eye on Loki. He felt his stomach twist in anxiety. Did the giants not buy his offer? Or, worse yet, did Maldor start making more threats?

"They have accepted the offer," Odin announced in a soft voice. Everyone turned to look at Loki, who was letting out a sigh of relief. So far, so good.

"Good," Loki replied, shakily getting to his feet. Sigyn sprung to hers, supporting him. Loki gave everyone in the room a good stare, as if he dared them to challenge him. For a few days, at least, Loki was in charge. Maybe then, he will be seen in a better light.


	6. Chapter 6

Loki's chambers were swiftly turned into a war room, where seamstresses took over the living area while his library was covered with maps. He quickly drew up tasks for everyone, all without revealing his grand scheme just yet.

Even after the delegation had left, mother remained under heavy guard in her chambers. Odin made a big show of preparing the "bride" to leave, while the realm went into a state of mourning.

Thor's little trio had been given small tasks. Loki had them running all over Asgard for seemingly unimportant tasks and items that didn't make sense. They grumbled, but had to do what Loki told them to do. He often found the trio looking at the items, trying to figure out Loki's plan just from the odd assortment of items they had gathered. Some of the items were important, but most were just for Loki to enjoy watching his usual tormentors run around. This was too much fun!

Thor was a different challenge. Sif was teaching him how to act like a lady, much to the pair's confusion. Thor was terrible at it, much to Loki's amusement. Thor begged and pleaded with Loki while he was being measured to be allowed to know what the plan was. Loki only responded with a smile. The look of confusion on his brother's face was priceless, along with making Thor jump through endless hoops to achieve their goal. Loki doubted that he was going to get this chance again.

By the third day, everyone was dying to know what the plan was. But Loki wasn't telling.

Loki was studying a map in his library, trying to ignore Sigyn who was watching him like a hunter stalking its prey across the room from him. She hadn't been given a task yet, so she had been trying to keep herself occupied by trying to figure out his plan. She had been the only one not to harass him about it, though he knew that she was going to figure it out eventually. He could always count on her to figure out his plans.

Her face switched to annoyed, as she leaned back to study him.

"Loki," Sigyn broke the silence, her head falling sideways into her hand. "Mysterious packages, studying maps and dresses, the fact that Thor is being made to do things he normally would never dream of… you're planning something big and I almost have it figured out." Loki fully looked up from the map and into her knowing eyes.

"Tell me," he raised an eyebrow. Sigyn got up to cross the room. She curled up cat-like on the other end of the couch where he was sitting. A suggestive smile unfurled on her face.

"Not yet," she said in a low voice. Loki chuckled, before sliding over to her end. His side only weakly murmured in pain, all thanks to a rigorous amount of healing in the past couple of days. He brushed her hand with a kiss as her eyes shone.

She suddenly lunged for the map on the other side of him, but he caught her wrist. With a yelp of surprise, she managed to turn enough so she ended up in his lap. She had wrapped her arms around his neck to catch herself, and he planted a kiss on her forehead before she could fully recover.

"I need you to teach me how to walk, talk, and act like one of mother's handmaidens," he grinned at her. She didn't release her grip on his neck, but gave him a questioning look.

"This will be interesting," she raised an eyebrow.

Moments later, Loki found himself with Sigyn in the large feast hall. Thor and Sif were on the other end of the room, with Thor failing miserably at gracefully walking down the stairs.

"No!" Sif shouted, looking at the end of the patience. "Ugh, this isn't going to work."

"It better," Loki growled.

"You better be here with an explanation behind this madness!" Thor howled, stomping his foot in irritation.

"All in good time, dear brother," Loki replied gently. Thor's eyes flashed dangerously.

"How come you're not learning any of this?" Thor growled.

"I'm about to right now," Loki replied simply, suddenly glad that he was on the other end of the room. Thor looked ready to pound him into the floor.

"Why are we doing this?" Thor bellowed.

"It's all part of the plan," Loki cautiously replied.

"I've grown weary of your silence," Thor threatened. Loki frowned at him.

"And I asked you to trust me," Loki reminded him. They watched each other silently, before Thor stormed back up the steps to try again.

"When are you going to tell us the plan?" Sigyn asked quietly, watching Loki pull himself back together. He was used to Thor's temper by now, but it still made him wary and a little bit frightened every time.

"Tomorrow," Loki replied, changing his frown to a grin. "Now, show me how to walk like a lady." Sigyn folded her arms over her chest, a smug look on her face.

"You're supposed to be helping me," Loki narrowed his eyes at her. Sigyn started to laugh.

"I want to see if you can figure it out first," she replied. "Go on, you're a clever boy." Loki glared at her while she continued to laugh. He responded by lifting his chin so he was looking down at her, before gliding around her.

"Showoff," Sigyn playfully growled. "Go try the stairs." Loki inclined his head to her, before heading to the stairs that Thor was currently descending. The brothers sized the other up as they passed. Thor paused at the base of the stairs, a smug smile crossing his face.

"It's not as easy as…" Thor started to say. Loki shut his brother up by descending the stairs. They both stared at each other, Thor trying very hard to maintain his temper.

"As what?" Loki mocked quietly. He enjoyed watching his brother squirm, and he gave a soft laugh before approaching Sif. "I don't think he's trying hard enough, do you?" Sif responded by slapping him across the face. Fiery pain spread across his face as the hand connected with it. His head snapped to the side, and he glared at the furious Sif as he massaged his jaw.

A slight growl forming in the back of his throat, Loki spun away from them and brushed past Sigyn. He felt her fall in step alongside him, but his pride was stinging too much for him to enjoy her company.

"I have your plan figured out," Sigyn announced, breaking the silence.

"Oh really?"

"Yes," she smiled.

"You going to tell me what it is?"

Sigyn gave him a wink.

"Maybe later," she flirted. "If you get your work done." She slipped her hand into his and she pulled him into the shadows of an alcove. Surprised by her move, he waited to see what she was going to do. He felt her draw magic to her fingertips, and she gently brushed them across his stinging cheek. He hissed at the cool touch, then relaxed as the burning sensation faded away. Sigyn's eyes practically glowed in the dim light, and she got on her toes to gently kiss him.

She dropped back down to her flat feet, her smile even more dazzling.

"Come, my prince," she whispered. "You have work to do."

The following afternoon found Loki and Thor in Loki's bedroom. Thor had apologized for his behavior earlier in the day, though Sif was quite prepared to slap Loki again. A pair of dresses was spread across the top of the bed. Loki admired the seamstresses' work, while Thor's face fell.

"This, is your plan?" Thor questioned. Loki grinned.

"My finest one!" Loki said proudly.

"I'm not wearing it."

"Yes you are. I'm wearing one too."

"No I'm not!"

"Do you want that damn hammer back or don't you?" Loki snarled. Thor shut his mouth, not looking particularly happy.

"I'll look like a fool," he muttered.

"These are to the girl's specifications. And I designed them," Loki said proudly. Thor gave Loki a strange look.

"I think some of those female tendencies are left over from when you…"

"Shut _up_ Thor," Loki hissed. Thor smiled slightly, looking pleased with himself. Then looked back at the object of his frustration.

"I hope you know how it works," Thor muttered.

"That's what I'm here for."

Both princes turned to see Sigyn slip into the room. After she had told Loki her ideas on what his plan was the night before, which was almost spot on, he had recruited her on helping the boys show off their new garb before they put the plan into action.

Thor started to turn red, realizing that he was going to have to get dressed in front of her. Sigyn smiled gently at him.

"I wont look, I promise," Sigyn teased, moving over to Thor's gown. "Now, strip." Loki choked on laughter as Thor, turning more and more red in the face, waited until Sigyn had turned around before hastily stripping down to his undergarments.

"He's ready," Loki drawled, leaning against the wall and very much enjoying his brother's discomfort.

"Slip the dress on," Sigyn instructed. "let me know when you are done so I can do you up in the back." Thor looked mortified that he actually had to put it on now. Red as his cape, Thor picked up the gown, clearly confused by what to do next.

"It goes on over your head," Loki offered help. "No you moron, the buttons go in the back." Thor gave Loki a questioning look as he roughly fought with the dress.

"How do you know so much about women's wear?" Thor grumbled. Loki didn't respond to that. Thor raised an eyebrow before looking between Loki and Sigyn. Sigyn was also silent. Thor looked as if he was going to say more, but decided against it. Thor continued to wrestle with the gown instead. Loki was afraid that Thor was going to tear the gown, but it eventually slipped on quite easily and nestled about him.

"Um," Thor muttered. Sigyn turned around, smiling as she took her first look at Thor.

"Loki," she said, looking Thor over. "If you weren't a prince, I think that you should have become a gown designer. Thor, make one more joke at Loki's expense and I'll turn you into a woman. See how you feel." Thor had opened his mouth to make fun of Loki, but quickly shut it at the threat. Loki looked at Sigyn adoringly, who smiled back at him warmly.

She moved around to the back to start buttoning and lacing Thor up. A look of surprised came over his face as Sigyn finished, before he started to cautiously move about.

Loki admired his handiwork. Thor's gown covered him from neck to ankle, with the right placement of darting to give the illusion of a feminine figure. The gown was a starry blue, with hints of silver strategically placed to draw the eye.

It was also designed to fight in. Both gowns were based off of Sigyn and Sif's own gowns, with strategic weapon placement and giving the wearer the freedom to move without fear of tripping over a hem or feeling constricted.

"Go on! Show off!" Sigyn pushed Thor towards the door. Still looking mystified, Thor left the room. Chuckling, Sigyn turned to look at Loki.

"Now, it's time for your transformation," Sigyn smiled, picking up a small box that he hadn't seen he bring in. "Sit." Loki obeyed, eyeing her suspiciously.

"What are you up to?" he asked as she slowly opened the box.

"Thor's face will be covered with a veil," she explained. "But I didn't see one for you."

"One of us has to be able to see everything," Loki snorted. "That, and Thor doesn't exactly look like mother."

"But they have seen you before," Sigyn pointed out. "Seriously, you are the smartest Asgardian in the whole nine realms, but sometimes you can be really thick."

"Just transform my face," Loki shrugged, silently kicking himself for not thinking of that.

"No," Sigyn shook her head. "Maldor might be there and will instantly see right through any magic being used. This, is something that has been used since the dawn of time to conceal identities and trick the mind." She started pulling out several jars of what looked like paint, and then realized that she was going to put cosmetics on his face.

"Close your eyes, and relax," she whispered. He shut his eyes, allowing her to work. She tenderly applied the cosmetics to his face, until he felt her pull away.

"All done," she smiled as he opened his eyes. "Don't touch your face and go put your gown on. I'll help you with the back." Loki got to his feet as Sigyn turned her back to him. He quickly changed, slightly surprised by how durable yet light the material was.

"I'm ready," he said quietly. Sigyn turned around, a grin quickly forming on her face.

"I think you'll have the desired effect," she giggled slightly. She swiftly laced him up before looking at him fully. "Oh yes, this will work." Loki was dying to see what he looked like. But that had to wait. First, it was showtime!

Sigyn headed out the door first, leaving for the living area where Loki could hear the others still exclaiming and laughing over Thor. He moved into the hallway, noticing the slippers waiting for him. The voices stopped as Sigyn spoke, then remained silent.

"We're ready!" she called out to him. Dropping his chin to look more like the obedient handmaiden, he walked into the room.

Thor's warriors, Odin, and Sigyn were all gathered, with the regal looking Thor standing in the center of the room. Sigyn was the only one not gaping at Loki as he made his entrance. He paused just inside the room, not sure if the looks were of horror or bewilderment.

"Wow," Sif's eyes grew wide.

"We still have a few adjustments," Sigyn nodded her head, looking him over with a critical eye. "But, yes, wow." Loki managed to find a large reflective surface, and a gasp caught in his throat.

He could hardly recognize himself as the woman gazed back at him. The gown was more form-fitting than he remembered designing. However, he could move freely in it and the simple design with mountain colors made it better for him to blend in.

"I don't like this," Odin muttered, looking uncomfortable with his sons in dresses. Loki sighed in frustration. He had a feeling that father wasn't going to be too happy with this plan.

"Father," Loki slowly approached him. "You have to trust me. As long as Thor keeps his mouth shut, everything will turn out fine."

"What if Maldor is there?" Odin countered. "He might recognize you."

"That will be a risk that I'll have to take," Loki replied, knowing it was true. "If we get into trouble, Sigyn and I have been coming up with several new spells to get us out of there." Odin had risen to his feet and gently put an arm around Loki's shoulders. A bit startled by this sudden showing of emotion, Loki allowed him to lead Loki to a place off to the side.

"What about, this?" Odin gestured to Loki's costume.

"What about it?"

Odin looked uncomfortable.

"Handmaidens usually, well, aren't treated the same as others," Odin said cryptically. Loki suddenly realized what he was saying, and his face flushed.

"That wont happen," Loki growled.

"I am concerned, that is all," Odin quickly defended. "The last time you were similarly in disguise…"

"It. Wont. Happen." Loki said through clenched teeth. "I will be with Thor the entire time, and I am stronger and wiser than I was before." Odin gave him a concerned look, before nodding his head.

"Please be careful, that is all I ask."

Loki was surprised by Odin's sudden show of concern. Maybe he did care about the spare to the heir.

"I will," Loki tried to not show his surprise. Odin smiled before gently patting him on the shoulder and giving Loki another look over.

"You did, a fine job," Odin changed the subject awkwardly. Loki allowed a smile.

"I designed both of them," Loki played with the sleeves. Odin gave him an uncomfortable smile.

"Oh, that's, nice," Odin managed to get out. By the fates, what was his father's deal? This whole situation must have him more shook up than Loki thought. Odin left to go rejoin the rest of the room as Loki looked himself over in the mirror.

He suddenly felt anxious, though he didn't know why. He was confident that his plan was going to work. Except that Odin's concerns still rang in his ears. He wasn't alone on this mission this time, though it could quickly turn in a different direction. A direction that Loki most likely didn't want it to go in.

Sigyn approached him from the side, her eyes concerned by his sober mood. One of her hands slipped into his as she gazed up into his face.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly. Loki nodded, quickly putting up a front.

"Thank you for all your help," he whispered, drawing her in close. She laughed softly as she pulled away from him.

"Careful," she warned. "That dress has a lot to go through tomorrow." Loki planted a kiss on her forehead, confidence coming back to him.

"Come on, brother," Loki called out to Thor. "We need to finish preparing for tomorrow." Hand-in-hand with Sigyn, Loki led them to the waiting seamstresses in the final preparations for the following day.


End file.
